Private lessons, please~!

And so, our rather sizeable entourage arrived at Class A homeroom teacher Iz-sensei's room.

"Iz-sensei～, private lessons please～!"

"So you've come… Oh, wait, this is supposed to be a private lesson? Why is even Lakto-sensei here?"

"Well, I was worried about you, Iz-sensei, so…"

Excuse me, Lakto-sensei? Are you implying I'd do something to Iz-sensei?

"So three extra people tagged along, but is that alright?"

"Of course! Lakto-sensei is always welcome — ahem. Karina-san aside, please make yourselves comfortable. Especially you, Lakto-sensei."

And so the private lesson began — but despite the blackboard being covered in all sorts of writing, I couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. You can't just rattle off magic theory at me like "Popopopon～" and expect me to follow!

"That's Peperpoi's Law. We covered it in class today, Onee-san."

"Oh, right, there was a law like that."

"… Um, Lakto-sensei? I was told Karina-san was an excellent student, but what is this?"

"Seems she's not great with book learning. Well, if you'd take over teaching her, that'd be a big help."

"Leave it to me, Lakto-sensei!"

Ah. I think I just saw a heart pop up?

I see, I see. So Iz-sensei has a thing for Lakto-sensei… Oho? Between fellow teachers…

Oh wait, Iz-sensei was originally Lakto-sensei's student, right? So it's a former-student-and-teacher romance…!

Nice, nice! Makes you want to root for them!

"— Excuse me, Karina-san? Are you listening?"

"… Iz-sensei, you and Lakto-sensei make such a lovely couple!"

"Wh-wh-wh-wha, thank you for that but excuse me!?"

Whoops. The line I threw out to cover for not paying attention seems to have been a critical hit.

"Karina-sama? Iz-oneesama was asking whether you'd prefer an explanation that incorporates practical demonstrations alongside the classroom theory."

"Oh, thanks, Fletta-chan. Then yes, let's do that please!"

"Very well. Shall we head to the firing range, then? Lakto-sensei, could you handle the targets?"

"… Sure, I don't mind."

We wrapped up the book learning and moved to the firing range.

Yeah, I'm definitely better with practical stuff! Theory? I can brute-force my way through!

"Now then, Karina-san. Lakto-sensei will conjure targets for you, so please hit them with your full-power attack magic."

"Wait. Wait, Iz-sensei. If Karina-san goes full power, it'll absolutely be bad, so wait."

"Wh-what is it, Lakto-sensei?"

Lakto-sensei stopped me.

Tch! I thought I could show off for Iz-sensei! … is only a teensy bit of what I was thinking.

I mean, it's obviously bad if I go all out. Like, country-destroying levels of bad.

Lakto-sensei beat him to it, but Dea-kun was about to stop me too.

"… But if I don't see her full power, I can't gauge her ability, can I?"

"Then let's do this instead. Karina-san, please show me the lowest-power magic you can use that can still destroy the target I put up."

"Roger."

Hmm, destroy, huh. So the stacking-targets thing from yesterday is out. And the lowest power magic I've got… that'd be Area Cutter, I guess! Alright!

"How destroyed are we talking? Vaporized? Pulverized? Split in two? A hole through it?"

"… Let's just go with splitting the target clean in half… Haahh! Iron Target!"

A metallic target sprouted up on the firing range. Iron! They have that option too!

Well, doesn't change what I'm gonna do.

"Iron!? I haven't seen one since my graduation exam, but to think her ability warrants…!?"

"Go ahead, Karina-san."

"Okay～. Hah."

I snapped my fingers and cut the target diagonally through its center, letting the top half slide off under its own weight.

Iz-sensei's glasses slid down her nose a little. That wasn't me, for the record.

"Done～."

"Huh?"

"… This is the first demonstration. Do you see now, Iz-sensei?"

"Wh-what was that just now!? For an instant I sensed a tremendous torrent…!?"

"Good, glad to hear it. Now then, Karina-san. Next, do the same to this one, again with the lowest power magic possible… Clay Target."

This time it was an earthen target. Well, what I do doesn't change.

Snap. Slide. Thud.

"Done～."

Iz-sensei's mouth was frozen in a quivery little grimace. Moved to tears by my magic, perhaps? Just kidding.

"Um? Deasalt-sama. What exactly did Karina-sama do? To me it just looked like she snapped her fingers."

"Just as you saw, Flaretart. She destroyed the targets with invisible magic."

"I-I see. So Karina-sama can use that kind of magic too…"

And Iz-sensei's glasses had slipped down again. Oh, she pushed them back up with a click.

When a beautiful teacher does it, it just looks so cool…!

"Well then. Iz-sensei. You've seen the results. What do you think?"

"Th-this is… beyond anything I could teach…? She perfectly destroyed the iron target. In an instant, hitting only the bullseye…!! Dead center, in a single clean line…!"

"Iz-sensei, praise me! Praise me more! More～!"

"Iz-sensei. Did you hear what I told Karina-san? I said minimum power… And didn't Karina-san use the exact same magic to destroy both the clay and the iron target?"

Oh.

"As you can see, Iz-sensei. I'm sure Karina-san would use the same magic whether the target were mithril, hihi'irokane, or orichalcum."

"Sh-she could destroy an orichalcum target too!?"

"… That's not the point. What I'm saying is that Karina-san's magic usage is sloppy. Karina-san, you were thinking 'as long as it breaks, my weakest move will do' and just winged it, weren't you?"

"Urk!?"

"In other words, Karina-san can't use any magic weaker than this."

"Ugh. Y-you're right, Lakto-sensei…!"

"I see. Oh, no, I'm not criticizing you. I was just confirming where things stand. We're teachers — teaching what people can't do is our job. If you're willing to learn, you're more than welcome."

"S-Sensei! Y-yes! Please teach me, Lakto-sensei! I'm in your care!"

Lakto-sensei flashed a reassuring smile.

"… And with that, Iz-sensei. If you're going to give her private lessons, I'd suggest teaching her weaker, less mana-intensive magic than what she just showed. Her maximum firepower is more than covered, after all."

"… Y-yes. Thank you, Lakto-sensei."

Ah, Iz-sensei is looking at Lakto-sensei with the face of a maiden in love.

She's totally head over heels.

"Lakto-sensei, you pinpointed Onee-san's weaknesses right away. Impressive as always."

"Hahaha. This is a teacher's job, after all… By the way, Deasalt-kun? That magic of hers, could it really cut orichalcum clean in half?"

"Most likely, yes."

"… Ha ha."

Oh, it totally can. The Five Elders have me do it all the time!